Okay all you guys that just love the 25 ACP, you can come out of the closet and enjoy a post about the midget auto! Enjoying where no other has been before, my work with the 25 ACP turned a corner as I made first cast with a project I started well over a year ago. I've been modeling some self defense cast bullets for semi autos, for me personally, after my big game bullets and one bullet I've been looking forward to working with cast today.
My TL256-57-RF dropped today just as pretty as you please. The bullet is right on weight, 57-grains with plumbers lead, and diameter. Next week I will see how they do on an actual target!
Here is a pile of first cast bullets. I ordered my molds in a two cavity as my previous Lee 252-50-RF had problems keeping up to casting temperature. I figured the six cavity blocks would really make it difficult. May be not. I was able to actually get the mold too hot but at 650° the bullets just fell right out of it. It still was very quick.
A close up of the Ranch Dog TL256-57-RF as a cartridge vs. my Gold Dot reloads. The bullet on the left is a reject, I guess I could have chosen a pretty bullet for the picture. The RD bullet manually cycled very well through my JA-25. Sometimes the Gold Dots do not feed smoothly. The hang up seems to be the lead/copper serrations on the rim of the nose against the ramp. Not real sure, just a little drag. The big thing about the Gold Dots is the expense and I've always had a bug up my rump about them. I saw a fellow shot through the heart with one and it didn't expand one lick. The hollow point was plugged with heart tissue, a gang banger not wearing a shirt, but it didn't do a thing. It barely made it through the dude. I found it when I was checking him to make sure he was dead, it was laying right beside him. Since then, I simply haven't trusted them. Unfortunately, the Hornady XTPs have never been offered as a componet in this caliber.
I purchased QuickLoad specifically for this and my 380 Auto bullet as there is no load data available for a 57-grain 25 ACP bullet or a 125-grain 380 Auto bullet. So far, my 32 ACP and 9mm Luger bullets are shooting very slick. I'm very pleased with this work to date. I might be out of business but the gray matter is still out there sparking!